The invention relates to an illumination device and flash equipment.
With the illumination device and flash equipment, it is possible for differing quantities of light to be emitted. The energy store of such devices comprises a plurality of flash capacitors. Depending upon the quantity of light to be emitted, the appropriate flash capacitors are actuated or deactuated. The flash capacitors which are in operation at any time are invariably charged to the same voltage, so that the color temperature of the flash which is produced remains constant, substantially independent of the selected energy. However, these devices have the disadvantage that the flash energy can be set only in relatively large steps, because the quantity of light can be altered only be actuating or deactuating flash capacitors. Such devices are not suitable for elaborate and highly accurate exposures.
In the case of the device of the type described, all flash capacitors which are provided in the energy store are invariably operated. However, depending upon the required energy, i.e., the quantity of light to be emitted, the electrolytic capacitors are charged to voltages of differing magnitudes by means of the amplitude control device. In the event that a large quantity of light is to be emitted, the flash capacitors are charged by means of the amplitude control device to a very high voltage value, while conversely, if only a small quantity of light is required, the capacitors are charged to a correspondingly low voltage value. In this manner, the quantity of light to be emitted in each instance can be set very accurately at the device. However, this device has the disadvantage that the color temperature of the light emitted by the flash tube varies as a function of the quantity of light, as a consequence of the differing voltages of the electrolytic capacitors. For this reason, the quantity of light cannot be varied in a manner selectable at will if attention must be paid to an accurate color temperature of the light to be emitted. The amplitude control device which may be used in the invention described therein is generally known.